Tubular electric lamp and holding means therefor



May 14, 1946. w. R. YOUNG 2,400,381

' TUBULAR ELECTRIC LAMP AND HOLDING MEANS THEREFOR v Filed Aug. 22, 1944 2 SheetsSheet 1 Fig. I.

Invent- 51": Wiili am H. Young,

May 14-, 1946. 2,400,381 TUBULAR 3x41211110 Lm AND HOLDINGIIEANS, THEREFOR.

w. R. YOUNG Filed Aug. 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W1 v A 1.

Inventor William RYoung, by JVWTJMM/M His Attorney.

Patented- May 14,1946 j UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE ELECTRIC LAMP AND HOLDING MEANS THEREFOR William It. Young, Fairfield, Conn., asslgnor to pany, a corporation of New General Electric Com York Application August 22, 1944, Serial No. 550,659

8 Claims. (Cl. 176-32) The present invention relatesto tubular electric lamps such-as the known fluorescent lamp and especially'to such lamps wherein the envelope,

instead of being straight,is in the form of a loop with its ends directly adjacent to each other.

Usually, such lamps will be circular and are "termed circular lamps but they may be oval or of other shape. Broadly, they may be termed The foregoing arrangement provides a lamp wherein the terminals are directly adjacent to each other and a structure which can be readily manufactured at low cost but which at the same time is amply rugged.

For use with a lamp havingterminals as described, I provide a holder comprising a base of vided with ears la by mean's of which it is pivoted tention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a circular tubular electric lamp having terminal ends and holding means therefor embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view of adjacent lamp ends and the holding means therefor on a larger scale than Fig. 1,

1 certain parts in Fig. 2 being insection and other at 2 and a. Each end is sealed off as is' indicated I at 4 and brought out through the sealed end are the leading in wires or conductors I and 6 which connect with the starting coil 1. Attached over each lamp end is a metal ferrule 8, the open end of which is closed by a disk 9 of insulating material, the disk being held by crimped ends formed from material of the ferrule 8. Attached to the center of disk 9 is aterminal post l0. Surrounding terminal post l0 is a terminal sleeve ll suit-v I ably attached to disk 8 as is indicated atl2. Be-

insulating material It. The leading in conductors-v tween terminal post HI and terminal sleeve II is 6 and 6 are connected to sleeve I l and post l0, re-

sleeve 1 I.

spectively. Post I ll projects beyond the end of Thus, there are provided two coaxial.

terminals, the inner or which projectsbeyond the outer. The terminal posts 10 on the two ends of the lamp are in alignment with each other as are the terminal sleeves ll,'the posts l0 being only slightly spaced apart as is shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. Ferrules 8 are so shaped that the two disks 9 are substantially parallel to each other.

over the open side of the stem It by a pivot pin I9- At 20 is a suitable spring which serves to bias cap I8 to closed position, as shown in Fig. 4. By

pressing down on the end of arm H, the arm may be turned on itsfpivot l9 to move the cap away from the head, as is indicated by the dotted lines.

tcned in position by suitable rivets 23; U-shaped contacts 22 are fastened in position by screws 24.

- Carried by contacts 2| and forming a part thereof a are terminal screws 25.

Carried by U-shaped contacts 22 and preferably formed integral therewith areterminal arms 28 which extend up into a projecting casing 21 formed integral with head [4 and adapted to receive a starter 28, the starter threaded to receive a nut 30 by means of which thelampholder may be attached to a base or support 3|. 1 .32 indicates lead wires which may be attached to the'binding screws 25 of the holder.

' Fig. 6- shows a wiring diagram and from it it willbe seen that the lead wires 82 are connected to the-terminal posts I0 and that the terminalsofthestarter 28 are connected to the terminal sleeves ll.

The 'holdermay be mounted on any suitable support. A lamp may be attached to the holder by pressing down on arm ll to lift cap 18, inserting the terminals of the lamp into the respective contacts and then permitting the cap to close.

Preferably head and cap l8 are provided on opposite sides with projecting ears or extensions 3: and ll which, when a lamp is positioned in the l1older, engage wlth'the, lamp ferrules 8 to clam the lamp and assist in holding it in the lamp holder.

. With the above described'arrangement wherein the terminal posts and terminal sleeves are coaxial and concentric, it will be seen that the lamp may be turned n the U-shaped contacts as pivots-so that the lamp may be brought to any desired angular position.

The holder has the advantages that it is simple in structure and capable of being manufactured at low cost. At the same time, it holds effectively the lamp and starter.

sults.

In connection with a lampof this type, itis desirable to have the minimum distance between the By making-the starter at part of the lamp holder, a compact structure reends of the lamp so that the circle of light may be as nearly complete as possible. By my invention, -I accomplish this result in a highly satisfactory manner.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a modified form center U-sh'aped contacts 31 which engage the terminal posts l0. and the two outside U-shaped contacts 38 which engage the terminal sleeves l I.

The head 35 is provided with a recess in which holder'for the lamp comprisinga base of insulating material having a recess, and contacts mounted in the recess with which the said terminals engage.

- 3. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped to bring its two ends into closely spaced parallel relationship and directed toward each-other, said ends being provided with terminals comprising inner andouter "rected toward each other, said ends being each are located terminals 39 which are connected to u-shaped contacts 38 and with which engage the contacts of the starter 40. In these figures, the holder is shown as being mounted on the end of a post 4| through which the conductors 42 extend. In 'this construction, th'elamp is attached to and removed from the holder by merely inserting the'lamp terminals through the slot 36 directly into engagement with the U-shaped contacts 31 and 38.

When in'p'osition in the holder, the lamp may be turned on the U-shaped contacts as pivots to bring it'to a desired angle.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped to bring its two ends into closely spaced parallel relationship and. di-

rected toward each other, said ends being pro vided with terminals comprising inner and outer coaxial contact members, the inner members projecting axially beyond the outer members, and a holder for the lamp comprising a base of insulating material and contacts carried by the base with which said terminals have pivotal engagement;

2, In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped to bring its two ends intoclosely spaced parallel relationship and divided with terminals comprising inner and outer coaxial contact members, the inner members projecting axially beyond theouter members, and a provided with two terminals, one a terminal post and the other a terminal sleeve surrounding the post and'insulated therefrom, the terminal post projecting axially beyond the terminal sleeve, a holder for the lamp comprising a base of insulating material having a; recess, U-shaped contacts mounted in the recess with which the said terminals have pivotal engagement, and separate contacts carried by said base and being electrically connected with certain of said U-shaped contacts.

5. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped to bring its two ends into closely spaced parallel relationship and directed toward each other, said ends being each provided with two terminals, one a terminal post and the other a terminal sleeve surrounding the post and insulated therefrom, the terminal .post

projecting axially beyond the terminal sleeve, and a holder for the lampcomprising abase of insulating material having a recess, and U-shaped .contacts mounted in said recess with which said terminal posts and terminal sleeves engage.

6. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped tobring its two ends provided with two terminals, one a terminal postinto closely spaced parallel relationship and directed toward each other, said ends being each and the other a terminal sleeve-surrounding the post and insulated therefrom, the terminal post projecting axially beyond the terminal sleeve, and a holder for the lamp comprising a base of insulating material having a recess, and U-shaped contacts mounted in said recess with which said terminal posts and terminal sleeves engage, and a cap biased toward closed position pivoted on said base for covering said recess.

'7. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped to bring its two ends into closely spaced parallel relationship and directed toward each other,' said ends being each provided with two terminals, one a terminal post and the other a terminal sleeve surrounding the rected toward each other, said ends being prorecess being adapted to have a post and insulated therefrom, the terminal projecting axially beyond the terminal sleeve, and

a holder for thelamp comprising a. base of insulating material having a recess, and U-shaped contacts mounted in said recess with which said terminal posts and terminal sleeves engage, a second recess in said base, and starter contact arms connected with certain of said. contacts and terminating in said second recess, said second starter mounted therein.

8. In combination, an electric lamp comprising a tubular envelope shaped tobring'its two ends into closely spaced parallel relationship and directed toward each otherrsaid ends being each provided with two terminals, one a terminal post and the other a terminal sleeve surrounding the post and insulated therefrom, the terminal post projecting beyond the terminal sleeve, and a holder for the lamp comprisin a baseor insulatinz material having a recess, and U-shaped contacts mounted in said recess with which said terminal posts and terminal sleeves en age, and

a cap biased toward closed position pivoted on said base for covering said recess, said base and cap being provided with projecting means for clamping the lamp ends.

wnmaiu R. YOUNG. 

